LA MESA DISCUSSES ROLE IN TAX DISTRICT

Some residents worry about city’s clout in formation of village improvement plan

LA MESA 
In front of a crowd that included many La Mesa Downtown Village business owners, a school superintendent and a handful of village property owners, the City Council on Feb. 28 discussed its role as a property owner in the proposed business improvement district.

The city’s involvement has many locals concerned because it is one of the largest property owners in the village. If the proposal passes, the city would act as administrator of the district.

“You as a legislative body have the final say,” said Ed Henning, the city’s hired consultant on the property-based business improvement district, known as a PBID.

Under the proposal, property owners within the district would make annual payments to the city to pay for maintenance and marketing of the village area.

La Mesa City Manager Dave Witt said that in fiscal 2012-13, the city would pay about $60,000 from its General Fund to pay its proposed assessment. The assessment could increase as much as 5 percent a year for the first five years of the tax.

The proposed district would be voted on by 133 property owners. It includes 182 parcels, mostly along La Mesa Boulevard and on some surrounding blocks.

If approved, the initial tax would amount to a total of $378,100. The money would be used to keep sidewalks and streets clean with power washing; for landscape maintenance; and for village enhancement, promotion and marketing. The bulk of that amount, $100,000, would be for marketing.

Some opponents, such as business owners Deena While, Craig Maxwell and Bill Jaynes, wore large stickers that said: “No PBID/Save Our Village.”

Greg Houska, who owns property at Fourth Street and La Mesa Boulevard, said he would have to pass on the tax to his tenants, something he said he did not want to do.

“The services you mentioned, I expect that from my city; I don’t expect to pay more for that,” Houska said. “What’s going to help this city is the end of the recession.”

The La Mesa-Spring Valley School District has property that would be assessed $4,000 a year under the proposal. District Superintendent Brian Marshall spoke against the idea. “It is not in the best interest of taxpayers,” he said.

“I do have a problem using taxpayer dollars... to support marketing, business improvements and other improvements that will not impact our bottom line, and that is educating children,” Marshall said.

Property owners were mailed petitions in December. They are still being collected. If petitions representing 50 percent plus one cent of the assessed valuation of the district are returned, the petitions would be submitted to the council. The council would vote on whether to establish the district, schedule a public hearing and send sealed ballots to property owners.

After nearly a dozen people spoke against the district as proposed, La Mesa residents and property owners Vickie Fortie and Kelly and Jim Wieboldt spoke in support.

“I feel we cannot afford to miss the opportunity to move forward with the PBID,” Fortie said. “This will focus on the overall good of the community. The PBID is a responsible means to assure our downtown village thrives.”

The Wieboldts, who own Unique Travel in the village, are part of a group working to collect the petitions. They told the council that property owners are still turning them in. There is no official end date for their submission.

The council will further discuss the proposal at a meeting to be held in March or April.